"Disgusting and shameful": Sybiha slams Szijjarto over reports to Kremlin

Foreign Ministers from all 27 EU member states have arrived in Kyiv. The primary goal is to demonstrate to Moscow that support for Ukraine will not fade, despite internal disputes in Brussels and the volatile situation in the Middle East. However, behind closed doors, the discussions were significantly more heated: ranging from Hungary’s blocking of a 90-billion-euro loan to the "hesitation" of certain countries over oil prices.

TSN correspondent Olena Cherniakova learned all the details of the meeting.

New sanctions against Russia

The key issue is the 20th sanctions package. Europe plans to strike Russia’s "shadow fleet," which accounts for nearly half of Russian oil exports through the Baltic Sea. However, the war in Iran has driven up fuel prices, causing some EU members to hesitate.

Kaja Kallas, High Representative of the EU: "Some member states are wavering because prices are rising due to oil shortages. But we are talking about restrictions on the "shadow fleet." 45% of Russian oil passed through the Baltic—the impact of this will be massive."

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy drew a direct parallel between the blockade of shipping in the Black Sea and the current situation in the Strait of Hormuz, urging Europe not to allow Russia to emerge from this war in a better state than it was before.

Special Tribunal: legal minimum approaches

A significant step was taken as Germany, the United Kingdom, and Moldova joined the agreement to establish a Special Tribunal for the crime of aggression. The support group now includes 14 countries, but more are needed for an official launch.

Andrii Sybiha, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine: "We thank our German, British, and Moldovan friends. We already have 14 states, but we expect a much larger number. 16 countries is the absolute legal minimum to trigger the procedures."

The Szijjarto scandal: Ukraine’s reaction

Diplomats openly condemned the behavior of Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto. It was revealed that the Hungarian minister systematically "leaks" confidential information from European meetings directly to the Kremlin.

Andrii Sybiha: "This is an obsequious reporting to Russian patrons. It is disgusting; it is a shame. This must be the subject of an investigation."

Funds for Ukraine

While Budapest continues to block the main €90 billion loan, the EU has found a "Plan B." Kaja Kallas announced the allocation of €80 million from the profits of frozen Russian assets.

These funds will be used to purchase generators and repair Ukraine’s energy grid. The next deadline for major decisions is the end of April, following the elections in Hungary.